The sharp decline in gasoline use earlier this year — with volume down nearly 10 percent in some weeks — suggested to many people, including the automobile companies, that a permanent change in American habits might be at hand. But with gasoline prices falling drastically in recent weeks, some American drivers are returning to their old ways.

It is an interesting trend, which is certainly rational if not optimal (at least not for public transit proponents and companies and environmental advocates). We will have to wait for statistics from OC Transpo to find out what effect, if any, this has had locally.